How to Avoid Silly Bathroom Renovation Mistakes

This entry was posted on January 23, 2015 by Scott Pendlebury.

When renovating a bathroom there are countless options and decisions to consider. Remember that a bathroom is a place to cleanse and rejuvenate yourself. Don’t cram it full with lotions and potions that you rarely use and don't try to achieve a look so minimalist that you have nowhere to hang your towel. Before the renovation begins, draw up some detailed plans. Map out your shower, toilet and vanity on the floor and walk around ensuring that there is enough space for all. Ask yourself where your hairdryer will live, where your robe will hang and what size mirror will work best for you.

Your Heated Towel Rail

A standard size bath towel is 70cm in width however many towel rails measure 60cm or less. This means that your towel will needed to be folded in half, forbidding it to dry efficiently. If you have the wall space and height, always opt for a longer and wider towel rail to make optimal use of your wall.

Heated Towel Rails also come in a hard-wire or plug in options. If you are simply upgrading your towel rail without pulling down the wall, a plug in option is effective. Make sure that you choose a wiring point on the correct side of your towel rail to plug neatly into the power point without excess cord hanging out.

The wrong way to do it...

The right way to do it...

Think about storage

Bathrooms are often small spaces with not enough room to store all your lotions and potions. Although your vanity draws may be full, it is highly likely that your storage area is not being used effectively.

Overhead storage is a fantastic addition to any bathroom that will provide oodles of space and can be hidden from the eye. Toilet paper, towels, cleaning products and appliances can be stowed high above and pulled down only when in need. This way, essentials such as shampoo, soap and toothpaste wont be lost amongst unnecessary products.

Use mirrors to create light and space illusion

Mirrors have always been used as a sneaky approach to creating space and light within your bathroom. The placement of a mirror is vital. Placing a mirror opposite a window will reflect light and scenery and make the space feel bigger than it is. Placing a mirror opposite a linen cupboard or blank wall will not give the same visual impression.

A mirror that reaches the ceiling will have a much larger impact than one that stops at head height. Even though you wont use the top 2 feet of your mirror for the purpose of reflection, it will create a grand and expansive zone.

Maintain privacy

Although open bathrooms are desirable and on trend, there is nothing more uncomfortable than using a bathroom knowing that someone could walk in on you at any second. In a master ensuite, privacy is not so much an issue as hopefully only your closest family members would be using it. In a family bathroom or guest room especially, it is essential that a door can close or curtain be drawn to protect you from the rest of the house and outside. Frosted glass has forever been a privacy alternative. Whether a single panel or sliding door, frosted glass can provide the privacy without creating dark spaces.

Decorative window film can be applied to windows that look directly out in order to protect you from nosy neighbours.

Applying the film to the entire panel or only half way up may be all you need to increase your bathroom privacy

Change your door

An inward swinging door can sometime take up to 50% of the floor space of your bathroom. If the area outside your bathroom is a heavily congested hallway or room, change the swing of your bathroom door to open towards the outside. Even better, opt for a sliding door so that little space is lost on both sides of the doorway. Your bathroom can be a light and open room however privacy can be obtained when the door slides shit. If it is the door to an ensuite, attach a full length mirror to it.